MilesBuzz! - Could use a lil help with SFO->FRA->SFO

I hope this is the right place to post, forgive me if not - newbie here.
I like to take my family of 4 over to Frankfurt Germany for the holiday season to see friends and family. The desired dates are 12/10/11: SFO->FRA and 1/3/2012: FRA->SFO, there is soe flexibility, but not more than a few days.
For the flight to Frankfurt I found a nice AA 20K offer on 12/11 but the return flight is giving me a hard time so I am looking for hints. Thanks for reading and your suggestions are much appreciated, here are my stats:

me:
AA 290k
CA 50k
Delta 66k
UA 169k

wife:
AA 153k
CA 50k
Delta 20K

SFO->FRA on 12/11 for 20K via AA

FRA->SFO in the week of Jan 1st:
option 1: AA for 60k
option 2: UA for 55k
option 3: purchase one way ticket, which is vial UA the same as round trip
option 4: round trip via miles and money which is 42,500 Miles & 613.00 USD, not a good deal since the regular fare is just shy of 1k

Thanks!

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Did you call AA to check on award availability, or did you only check online? On aa.com, you can only see award availability for AA metal; if you call, the agent can check availability on partner carriers like Finnair (FRA-HEL-JFK), Iberia (FRA-MAD-JFK/ORD/BOS/MIA/LAX), LAN Chile (FRA-MAD), followed by AA/IB MAD-U.S., or Malev (FRA-BUD), followed by AA BUD-JFK.

Of course, you would add on an AA segment to SFO on the same award from your U.S. gateway.

Avoid routings involving BA flights because of fuel surcharges and the Passenger Service Charge for transiting a U.K. airport.

You may also be able to increase your chances of scoring award seats if you can split your group up into two parties of two, with Dad and one child flying one routing, and Mom and the other child flying a different routing. Sometimes, finding two award seats on a set of flights is easier than finding four award seats on the same set of flights.

Good luck!

Since you are carrying a large balance on UA, why not redeem a Star Alliance reward and come north to try SFO-YYC/YVR-FRA?

Out of YYC LH operates one flight daily at 12:55 arriving FRA at 6:30 with excellent connections or AC offers a 18:05 arriving around 11:00.

You'd be stuck on the CRJ out of SFO first thing in the morning to make the LH flight, but would have more time for the AC departure.

YYC is relatively small and so minimum connect X-border is 90min I believe.

There are some SaverPass Econ rewards tickets available on CO for 30k miles on Jan 6, although not direct flights.
If that doesn't work, I would just pay cash for the round trips. :(

looks like you have enough aa for an anytime award for the return....i would be tempted to go w/aa on the 20k outbound, look a bit more for saver [look for 1 seat, not 2] & hold/book it if available....good luck...

thanks for all the good suggestions, I checked all options and decided to purchase the flights...